ITB Berlin NOW: News highlights from Wednesday, 10 March 2021

Thursday, March 11, 2021

The World’s Leading Travel Show has the latest stories from the virtual edition of ITB Berlin NOW 2021 online in its ITB Newsroom and on ITB Berlin News. This is where media representatives and bloggers can obtain free articles for their editorial coverage of sessions at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention, exhibitor press conferences and presentations as well as interviews with leading industry figures.

Never before has there been a greater focus on health
Strategies for the future of medical tourism at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention
Health is currently a much talked-about topic. Medical tourism – now as under-subscribed as any other travel market – faces both big challenges and opportunities.

Croatia is delighted with its first ITB Medical Tourism Award
Outstanding medical tourism destination honoured at ITB Berlin NOW
“And the winner is… Croatia!“ Rika Jean-Francois of ITB Berlin joined in the celebrations as she presented the first ITB Medical Tourism Award at ITB Berlin NOW, following the decision made by the jury members HTI, ESPA and ITB Berlin.

Trust is the new global currency
Travelzoo unveils its representative survey on travel in times of crisis at ITB Berlin NOW
“Trust plays an important part in travel decisions in 2021“, said Christian Smart, general manager of Travelzoo, at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention. For the last six years, in cooperation with ITB Berlin, Travelzoo has been conducting representative surveys on travel trends.

Most people book more expensive flexi fares
ITB Berlin NOW discusses the future of package holidays
The majority of people making holiday reservations choose a flexi fare. Even after the pandemic is over, flexible cancellation and re-booking options for package holidays will remain, according to the leading companies taking part in ITB Berlin NOW.

Large hotels will struggle post-Covid
Speakers at ITB Berlin NOW see good prospects for luxury travel
Among travel customers the pandemic has massively increased the desire for support and services. All those who took part in a panel discussion on the future of the luxury hotel industry at ITB Berlin NOW agreed the industry would have to react.

Why not work on the beach? Digital nomads are a growth market
ITB Berlin NOW Convention discusses youth travel in times of the pandemic
The youth travel market targeting 15 to 30 year-olds has plummeted by around 70 per cent since the second quarter of 2020 and is unlikely to recover fully before 2023, said Professor Greg Richards of the WYSE Travel Confederation on Wednesday at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention.

The desire for contact with other people
ITB Berlin NOW Convention discusses the future of virtual events and meetings
How will conferences, meetings and other events be held in the future? This topic was discussed by four experts from different companies on Wednesday at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention.

Coronavirus gives a boost to credit cards
Tourism investors at ITB Berlin NOW see a wealth of opportunities
From the perspective of investors in the tourism industry the situation has not really gone downhill during the coronavirus crisis. Sascha Hausmann, a partner in Howzat Partners, whose activities include facilitating venture capital, offered encouragement for the future with this viewpoint during the ITB Berlin NOW Convention.

Balearic Islands cautiously optimistic
Majorca and its neighbouring islands present their ideas for emerging from the crisis at ITB Berlin NOW
The government of Majorca and its neighbouring islands remains cautious as far as the pandemic is concerned and is raising hope that travel will return soon. “We can see the crisis ending“, said Francina Armengol, Minister President of the Balearics, speaking from a stage in the port of Palma.

Hotels ready for the return of business travel
At the ITB Berlin NOW Convention the hospitality sector is awaiting a catch-up effect
The term “new normal” was rejected by the four participants in a panel discussion on the topic of business travel on Wednesday at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention.

Building trust and stimulating customer desire
At the ITB Berlin NOW Convention experts show how analysing data can lead to targeted marketing
When tourism starts up again soon, many destinations will have a problem. The competition will be large and demand initially will be on the poor side. It is therefore all the more important to draw attention to oneself by precisely targeting one’s audience.

Mauritius is dreaming of summer at ITB Berlin NOW
Premium entry visas for long-term stays until the hoped-for recovery in June
Currently, all the Mauritius Tourist Promotion Authority can do to advertise the island’s natural beauty is show images of turquoise lagoons. Visitors need to have patience. At ITB Berlin NOW Arvind Bundhun, director of the MTPA, expressed his hope that he could perhaps welcome more visitors again this summer.

Perfect visitor monitoring in nine steps
Experts recommend a combination of methods at ITB Berlin NOW
Holidaying in the outdoors is the new trend, and associated with it are such activities as mountain biking, running or hiking. “People want to spend more time in natural surroundings and that is great”, said Tilman Sobek, managing director of absolutGPS on Wednesday during a presentation on the topic of visitor management and monitoring at ITB Berlin NOW.

Holidays despite Brexit and the pandemic
Scotland is presenting new and traditional products at ITB Berlin NOW
Scotland is currently having to contend with two travel obstacles: the pandemic and Brexit. Nevertheless, at exhibitor presentations at ITB Berlin NOW it had so many new things to offer that the land in Britain’s north is surely still worth a visit

Exploring Tyrrhenian history with Gritaccess
France and Italy launch a cultural themed network at ITB Berlin NOW
French and Italian tourism authorities have launched an initiative centred around the Tyrrhenian Sea with the aim of making the vast cultural heritage of this region between Naples, Marseille and the large islands more widely known.

ITB Newsroom and ITB Berlin News: the latest industry news, first-hand

Every day, journalists, bloggers and other interested visitors can find these news stories and many more from the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show in the ITB Newsroom and on ITB Berlin News. The ITB Newsroom is currently reporting in English and German on the highlights of this year’s entirely virtual event. ITB Berlin News has the latest industry news and stories from ITB Berlin NOW 2021 in English only. Topics at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention, the global travel industry’s leading think tank, are also widely covered by the two news portals.

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• ITB Berlin set to return as in-person show in March 2022

• ITB Berlin remains a leading travel event for global tourism and MICE industry

• ITB Berlin NOW kicked off reflecting keen industry demand

• ITB Berlin NOW Convention focuses on challenges of MICE and business travel industries

• ITB Berlin NOW: Events and business travel on the way to a new normal